Livni Would Consider Joining Likud Coalition, If Lieberman Is Involved

Foreign Minister Wants Shas, Other Parties Cut Out of Government

by Jason Ditz, February 19, 2009

While earlier today Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni seemed resigned to putting her Kadima party in the opposition, she is now backing off of those claims. Now the Kadima head says she would be open to joining a Likud-led coalition, but under certain conditions.

Livni says she would not join a government that included Shas and two smaller right-wing parties, and insisted that the right-wing secularist party of Avigdor Lieberman would need to be involved. Under those circumstances, she told the Israeli paper Haaretz, she would consider a coalition.

The Kadima party won the most seats in last week’s Israeli election, but has struggled to find other parties willing to support their bid to lead a coalition government. Having secured the endorsement of Lieberman earlier today, the Likud party seems to have the better chance at forming a government, though they too have obstacles remaining.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz